Maharashtra Opposition slams BJP-Sena MLAs for hitting Rahul Gandhi poster with slippers in Legislature complex

Protest at Maharashtra Legislature complex on Thursday. Pic/ Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi legislators on Thursday slammed ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena members for hitting a poster of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with slippers on the stairs of the Maharashtra Legislature complex against his alleged remarks about Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar.

Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar too expressed displeasure at this act of the ruling alliance legislators and promised an inquiry.

The issue was raised in the Assembly by Congress' Balasaheb Thorat, who was supported by Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar.

Both condemned the action of the ruling alliance members as unparliamentary, with Thorat seeking action against those involved.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis agreed that committing such acts on the Vidhan Bhavan premises was wrong, but also slammed Gandhi for his "low level tendency".

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Savarkar had spent 11 years in jail in the Andamans and Gandhi's attack on the former needed to be condemned, Fadnavis said.

BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, who raised the issue of Gandhi's remarks when the House resumed following an adjournment, said a "person out on bail in a criminal case is insulting a freedom fighter".

Meanwhile, Speaker Narvekar said, "I will conduct a through inquiry and go through the recordings. This shouldn't happen again or else strict action will be taken."
Pulling up the ruling alliance legislators, Narvekar said, "If you want to condemn, do it on a proper forum. As of now, I haven't received any notice (for action on the incident)."

Earlier, the Assembly witnessed adjournments on two occasions with ruling alliance MLAs shouting slogans against Gandhi for his remarks on Savarkar.

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